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“I know of no more ncouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.”- Henry David Thoreau.

Imran Khan is one of the most celebrated personalities in the world of cricket and one of the most infamous ones in the world of politics. Born on 25 November 1952, Imran Khan is a man action, taking into consideration his recent political endeavors. Currently, besides his political activism, Khan is also a philanthropist, cricket commentator, Chancellor of the University of Bradford and Chairman Board of Governors of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre.On 16 May 1995, Khan married Jemima Goldsmith, in an Islamic ceremony in Paris. The marriage produced two sons, Suleiman Isa and Kasim. However, the marriage did not last long and ended amicably. Khan now resides in Bani Gala, Islamabad, where he has built a farmhouse with the money he gained by selling off his London flat.However, the cost of being a celebrity is immense criticism. During the late twentieth century, Khan came to be known as a socialite, due to his “non-stop partying” at London nightclubs, though he claims to have hated English pubs and never drank alcohol. He is often dismissed as a political lightweight. A popular Pakistani political party has asserted that Khan is “a sick person who has been a total failure in politics and is alive just because of the media coverage”. A newspaper in England described Khan as a “miserable politician”.Keeping critics aside, the fact that Imran Khan is smart and successful in what he does, cannot be denied. He studied from Oxford, one of the best universities in the world; as captain, he led his teammates to Pakistan’s one and only World Cup victory in 1992; his hospital, which was told by certain American technocrats that it would not be able to treat more than five percent of its patients for free, proved all odds wrong, and a decade and half later, was recognized as a centre of excellence and the only hospital in the world that offers free treatment to seventy percent of its patients, by the WHO; an English author once said that out of ten English women, one is ugly, and Pakistanis choose that one and marry her, but Imran Khan proved that wrong and married Jemima Goldsmith, a gorgeous British heiress.In Imran Khan, we have a social visionary and a legend for the country. His purpose and reason for being in politics is to see a better Pakistan and to ensure justice for all citizens.“What lies behind us and what lies before us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”- Oliver Wendell Holmes.

I was seated right across him. His friendly eyes smiled down at the pictures of the children from the orphanage; his children. Sitting between us was a cold plate of samosas (potato appetizers). I looked at him with great intent – his face gave away nothing. Who could imagine that this ordinary looking senior, dressed in a pale shalwar kameez (national dress of Pakistan) with a white, long beard is the man who changed millions of lives. They called him a ‘Mirror to the Blind’

Abdul Sattar Edhi is a Pakistani philanthropist. He is head of the Edhi Foundation, the world's largest ambulance help service and charity. Together with his wife, Bilquis Edhi, he received the 1986 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service. He is also the recipient of the Lenin Peace Prize and the Balzan Prize. Edhi is a Muslim of the Memon community and serves as an asset for the Pakistani community. Edhi was born in 1928 in Bantva in the Gujarat, British India. His family migrated to Karachi, Pakistan in 1947and in 1951 he purchased a small shop where he opened a small dispensary with the help of a doctor who taught him basic medical care.When Edhi was eleven years old, his mother became paralyzed and later grew mentally ill. Young Abdul Sattar devoted himself for looking after all her needs; cleaning, bathing, changing clothes and feeding. This proved to be a losing battle against the disease, and her helplessness increased over the years. Her persistent woeful condition left a lasting impression on young Edhi. The course of his life took a different turn from other persons of his age. His studies were also seriously affected and he could not complete his high school level. For him the world of suffering became his tutor and source of wisdom.

Edhi's mother died when he was 19. His personal experience made him think of thousands and millions, suffering like his mother, around with nobody to look after them. He thought that he had a call to help these people. He had a vision of chains of welfare centers and hospitals that could be opened to alleviate the pain of those suffering from illness and neglect. He also thought of the inhuman treatment meted out to the mentally ill, the insane and the disabled persons. Even at this early age, he felt personally responsible for taking on the challenge of developing a system of services to reduce human miseries. The task was huge; he had no resources. But it was something that he had to do even if he had to walk to the streets with a cap in hand to beg for this purpose.Edhi has always been known to be a selfless man. After setting world records, gaining respect and fame from all over the globe, he still manages to remain as down to earth as any other John. Edhi is to Karachi what Mother Teresa was to the poor of Calcutta. Edhi and wife Bilquees have spent a lifetime working for people and their welfare work to date remains unparalleled in Pakistan. They are both very private people who shun publicity. They have had little formal education, and are totally committed to the cause of helping the poor and needy. As I sit with him, I can feel his hesitance when he answers my inquisitive questions. He does not like to talk about his achievements, nor does he prefer shining under the limelight. The phone on his desk rings constantly but he is absorbed in his work. He tells me, life for him is not about worldly materials; it is about doing good and attaining heaven in the Hereafter. With a hint in his tone, he tells me how he detests interviews with the press. To him, people are overshadowed by the façade of superficiality they live under and their attitude towards helping mankind is either forced or absent. At times, he feels as though he is struggling alone; working towards a cause which means nothing to others. But, at the end of the day, the number of patients and misers under his care speak volumes. He does what no one else wants to do – puts other before himself.

Till date, Edhi resides in Karachi and has ambulances spread all over the city. He is a happy man, constantly struggling to bring people out of their misery.Edhi’s vision is to create an institution that will carry on his life’s work and survive for a long time to come. His dream is that of a Pakistan as a modern welfare state, which provides a safety net for the poor and needy while providing basic health and education with vocational skills. A welfare state Edhi feels is the only way to tackle Pakistan’s myriad social problems. He hopes that one day, Pakistan will be a model for other developing countries.

As I look at him, I have a feeling of pride and I know that this feeling would always remain but the man in front of me would not. Thinking about this, I decided to preserve him not only in my heart but also on paper, so that he could always be remembered.Mr. Imtiaz Alam Hanfi, my grandfather, was born on the 6th of January, 1929, in a village in India, known as Allahabad. He was the second son born to Sifaat Alam Hanfi and Imtiaz-un-Nisa. His father worked for the East Indian Railways while his mother was a housewife. He attended the CAV High School in Allahabad for early schooling; after which he did his Inter from EUING Christian College.In November 1947, after partition, he migrated with his whole family to Karachi where his father started working with Pakistan Railways. Mr. Hanfi received his Master’s Degree in Economics from Karachi University in 1952. In 1953, he married Razia Khatoon and had three daughters and a son.Imtiaz Alam Hanfi, my grandfather, started working at the age of 23 after completing his education. He worked with the State Bank of Pakistan, joining the bank in 1952 through an All-Pakistan competition. He spent more than forty years working at the State Bank of Pakistan, only becoming the Chief Executive of PICIC from 1981 to 1984; after which he was recalled to the State Bank and made the Deputy Governor. In 1988, he rose to the position of Governor. It is also noteworthy that neither in India nor in Pakistan, the Governor is appointed from within the bank. His appointment was an exception which speaks for itself, of his professionalism and competence. He retired as Governor in 1993. From 1994 to 1998, he was a CEO of Faisal Bank.After 1994, he took a break; till the government appointed him as Chairman for Commission of Elimination of Ribah. In July 2002, he submitted his report. Currently, he is one of the members of the Board of Directors of Bank Al-Habib. With God’s grace, he continues with reasonable health, even though he is nearing 83.

Charles Bartholomew "Chuck" Bass was born on July 12, 1991, in New York. He is the only child of Bartholomew “Bart” Bass and his first wife Elizabeth Fisher. His father, Bart Bass was a self-made billionaire as compared to the Bass’ old money friends. Chuck grew up on the Upper East Side with his three best friends and fellow elites Nate Archibald, Blair Waldorf, and Serena van der Woodsen. He was often seen as the “boy boy” of his circle while he was younger since he viewed women as recreational tools. Chuck has a strong loyalty to his lifelong best friend Nate. However, Chuck also cares deeply for Blair. She is the only girl he respects. Shortly after she breaks up with Nate because of his recurring feelings for Serena, Chuck and Blair start a secret affair. Chuck's father and Serena's mother become engaged, leading the two families to move in together. Chuck and Eric van der Woodsen, Lily's son and Serena's younger brother, become especially close. “I'm Chuck Bass.”, that's his trademark line - but who is he, really? He might be rich and pompous, but he desires finer things in life. He might be obnoxious, but hilarious and charming at the same time. Everyone may despise Chuck Bass, but there's no question that he is the most connected kid on the Upper East Side.

However, later in his Junior and Senior year, a softer side to his personality became more apparent for people he cares about. He has a tendency to not completely trust people and always has to aim better than he can achieve.Chuck is orphaned in his Senior year, causing him to stray off before being adopted by Lily, his old step-mother and the closest mother figure he'd ever had.Chuck and Blair grow to be happy and very much in love. Chuck struggles to run Bass Industries to his deceased father's standards. He opens up a hotel, The Empire. As time goes on, Chuck meets a woman claiming to be his mother. Hit with a sexual harassment suit at work, he temporarily signs over The Empire. She betrays him and signs the hotel over to his sinister uncle, Jack Bass. However, with help from his friends he regains the ownership of his hotel.Blair breaks things off with Chuck which causes him to travel to Prague to escape New York for a while. Chuck’s life was hanging by a thread after he was attacked by three thugs in Prague because they insisted on taking the ring that Chuck intended to propose to Blair with.Thankfully, he is saved by a Czech girl, Eva who does not have any idea of his wealth or of who he is. He creates a fake name as he no longer wants to be the manipulating Chuck Bass. He eventually reveals who he really is and returns to New York with her. Blair insists she no longer loves him, but still schemes to weaken his new relationship. He eventually falls for one of her schemes and ends things with Eva. He realizes his mistake and begs her to take him back, but she refuses, saying that he showed his true feelings by continuing to believe Blair over anyone else. Chuck is very self-centered. However, he is also very loyal to the select few he deems worthy. As he gets older he matures into a respectable young adult. He is extravagant, but it seems to come from deeply-rooted insecurities which were most likely instilled by his demanding father. He is also very witty and quick to verbally wrangle, showing that he is quite intelligent.

William Shakespeare baptized 26th April 1564 and died 23rd April 1616. He was an English poet and playwright, and was regarded as the world’s greatest writer in the English language and an autocratic dramatist. He is often referred to as England’s national poet. He was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18 he married Anne Hathaway with whom he had three children Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. He lost his son Hamnet who was 11 years old then. He studied in King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford from the age of seven.Shakespeare’s ability to summarize the range of human emotions in simple verse is perhaps the greatest reason for his popularity. If you cannot find words to express how you feel about love or music or growing older, Shakespeare can speak for you. No author in the Western world has written more beloved passagesBetween 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company. His works consisted of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems and many other short ones. His works have been translated in every other language possible, and his plays have been performed more often than any other playwright. Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, and then he wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608 which had included Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth. The Tragedy of Macbeth is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607. Shakespeare himself did not publish his plays was simply in keeping with the general custom at his time. Not one of his plays was printed during his lifetime. They were anxiously kept away from the printing press; the people were to come to the theatre and see the plays there, not read them at home.

Shakespeare had a reputation for being quiet and a bit mysterious. His writing, they showed that he was keenly observant and was curious. Shakespeare thought deeply about life and its sufferings. Though, he had a sense of humor and found much to laugh at in life! We know very little about Shakespeare's life during two major spans of time, commonly referred to as the "lost years": 1578-82 and 1585-92. The first period covers the time after Shakespeare left grammar school, until his marriage to Anne Hathaway in November of 1582. The second period covers the seven years of Shakespeare's life in which he must have been perfecting his dramatic skills and collecting sources for the plots of his plays.

In 1585, when Shakespeare's financial conditions were no longer in a flourishing state, he went to London. There he began his theatrical career in the lowest ranks, by holding the horses of the visitors while they were enjoying the performance. He then became supervisor of a number of such boys who had to hold the horses' reins, and was at last admitted to the stage. In 1592, he recited his first more important part. His fame soon began to spread — both as an actor and as a dramatist — and his conditions improved, so that in 1597 he was already able to buy a house at Stratford. As part-owner of the Globe Theatre, he became a wealthy man. Shakespeare's own works bear witness that he is their author. His plays reveal that they were written by a man who had a thorough knowledge of the theatre and the deepest understanding for theatrical effects. Unfortunately, Shakespeare's death at the age of 52 will almost surely remain a mystery. We do know, however, that in a world where plague, syphilis, typhus, scurvy, tuberculosis, smallpox, malaria, dysentery and toothaches shortened a Londoner's life expectancy to 35 years, Shakespeare fared quite well, leading a relatively long and healthy life.Shakespeare is buried in the chancel of Holy Trinity Church in his hometown of Stratford, Warwickshire. His gravestone bears an epitaph which Shakespeare himself supposedly wrote. It warns:“Good friend for Jesus sake forbear,To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares these stones,And cursed be he that moves my bones”.

'Dear Youngest Federer, By the time you are old enough to understand this, your father won't be the player he once was. So this is for you, from those of us who were there, just to tell you who he was. He was a champion like tennis had never seen. He was like a page out of an Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue. He was so graceful, he made ballet dancers want to burn their shoes. He was fast, but not so you'd notice. He was powerful, but, like a Ferrari not a forklift. They all came at him, and they all fell to him, major after major, year after year. Your father dominated his sport the way avalanches dominate trees. And yet he was so humble and decent that it became no shame to lose to him. In fact, it became a kind of honor. To lose to Roger Federer meant you were woven into the fabric of sports history. And what a history he wrote. You will read about it someday and it will shock you. But his finest moment might have been a sun-splashed sunday at Wimbledon, when he passed Pete Sampras record for majors with 15. Some thought we might not ever see that day. Thought he'd be past by younger bulkier models. But they were wrong. Gods do not get passed. This August, you will come along and tennis will be less important, majors will become minor, trophies will become teething rings, and your father's perfect life, will, somehow, get even better.'(A letter to Roger Federer's unborn child)

He always walked onto the court gracefully,waving to the crowd. As charming as ever,Roger Federer is a true tennis god;a real prince. Even though he is getting old and other,handsome players are struggling for his position in the tennis world,he will never be replaced. Women's hearts beat as fast as a car would speed down a race track,everytime they see him,sighing a deep sigh,trying their level best to get a snap of him in an attempt to make those facebook friends turn green with envy. Yes,Roger Federer is legend and always will be.

When Federer was born in early 1980s,near Basel,to Swiss national Robert Federer and South African-born Lynette,they were obviously unaware of who their son would become one day and if they look back at his uncountable victories along with his work for charity organizations,they would be amazed and clearly,proud of the dedication he has shown towards not only tennis but also,in making the world a better home for us. Federer's parents are not the only one amazed by his accomplishments because surely,he inspires many of us,including the person writing about him at this very moment. Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP no.1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks and 285 weeks,overall.As of November 14,2011,Roger Federer,also known as Fed Express,is ranked n.4 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Federer is the only male player in tennis history to have reached the title match of each Grand Slam tournament at least five times and also the final at each of the nine ATP Masters 1000 Tournaments. No doubt,he inspires not only youngsters but also elders,today.

As mentioned earlier,Roger Federer worked for various charity organizations. . He established the Roger Federer Foundation in 2003 to help disadvantaged people and to promote sports. In 2005, he auctioned his racquet from his US Open championship to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina. He was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF in 2006. At the 2005 Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, Federer arranged an exhibition involving several top players from the ATP tour and WTA tour called Rally for Relief and these arent even half of the things he has done for charity!

Federer is married to former Women's Tennis Association player Mirka Vavrinec who retured in late 2002 due to a foot injury. They now have beautiful twin daughters,Myla Rose and Charlene Riva. Hence,indeed,just like Federer is a brilliant tennis player,he is also a great husband and a loving father.Even though,since the twins came by,majors did become minors for him,Federer will continue to leave us awestruck because of his charm,his grace and his game. He will always be a legend,as said by many sports analysts, tennis critics, and former and current players who consider Federer to be the greatest tennis player of all time.

An inspiring poem called 'If Read by Roger Federer',written by Rudyard Kipling:

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you But make allowance for their doubting too, If you can wait and not be tired of waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream–and not make dreams your master, If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breath a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!” If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much, If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!

THE THOMAS EDISON OF OUR TIMES There are three famous apples in history. Firstly, the forbidden apple Adam and Eve were lured into eating by the Satan. Secondly, we have the Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation which was related to an apple falling from a tree. Thirdly, look around you, every day you encounter a glaring, half-bitten apple on some technology related device. Yes, I am talking about Steve Job’s apple, the apple which daringly revolutionized people’s perceptions of technology. The I-driven generation of I-Pod, I-Pads, I-Mac, and I-Phone is addicted to apple products, cannot fathom a life without it but never researched about this man who anticipated their unincubated wants. It was only after I heard about his death on various news channels, saw his face splashed across countless newspapers that I was compelled to delve into this man’s life beyond the stage. He was born on 24 February 1994. Ironically, this man who was later to be venerated by people all over the world was born to two undergraduates who did not want him. Contrary to popular belief, this Thomas Edison of our times who was born out of wedlock was not abandoned. Once having gone through an erroneous, unplanned pregnancy, she made sure his adoption was planned and that the adoptive parents will agree to send Jobs to college. But that does not mean Jobs did not feel deprived in a way. Later on when Jandali, Steve’s biological father came to know about his son he made a feeble attempt at reconciliation with his son. These impersonal emails were the only connection between them. Jandali was not willing to relinquish his Syrian pride; rather he expected is son to forgive him for 50 years of negligence. Our heart hardens towards him when we hear him say, ‘This may sound strange, though but, I am not prepared even if one of us was on our death bed to pick up the phone to call him.” No matter how loving the adoptive parents may have been, no matter how famous he was, being given up for adoption implanted an eternal sense of betrayal. It is only Moses whose life took a better turn when he was given up for adoption but the only other option he had was death. Ten months after he was born, Job’s biological parents married and gave birth to the famous author, Mona Simpson. Steve formed a very strong bond with her. It was in the family garage where Job’s father introduced him to machines with which he later fell in love. This is where he developed that passion which later turned him into a tech-genius. Although he was very intelligent, he evaded formal schooling. The amusing part was that his fourth grade teacher had to bribe him to study.

The unparalleled Apple brand had very humble origins. Jobs and his high school friend Wozniak, the co-founders, gave it a concrete existence in a shabby garage. Jobs had to sell his Volkswagen and Wozniak had to part with his beloved scientific calculator to finance this venture. Apple’s innovative, user-friendly, romantic products became immensely popular but a firce competition from IBM made their sales plummet. His journey to success hasn’t been as smooth as it appears to us. NO, he was ousted from his own company at one time. Job’s charisma drew crowds to him. He had the rare potential to look at people ant hit on their weaknesses and then using them to his own advantage. On stage, it seemed as if he was flirting with the audiences. His character was a perfect paradox. He was irresponsible, inconsiderate, not punctual, he did not give credit when it was due,he had no faith in his employees, he intimidated them. Extremely unproductive and annoying measures were used to ensure secrecy. Once they were at the work-bench, they were under extreme surveillance. He hung a WWII poster on his desk, ‘loose lips might sink ships”. He made it clear that anyone who breathed a word to the media about what went on beyond the four walls of the company would be shown the door. One employee is reported to have said, “We have cells, like in a terrorist organization. Everything is on a need to know basis.” But it would be wrong to say this influential figure was flawed . He hasd several traits for which he was admired, people looked up to him. Larry Ellison, one of his best friends once said, ‘The Mac is the expression of his creativity, and apple as a whole is an expression of Steve.”

Shahryar Saad. Who is Shahryar Saad? The person who has been on top of all 7 wonders of the world? The man who has been around the globe? The man who never says no to any opportunity life offers him? Yes, this is Shahryar Saad. A man who lives life to the fullest. His attitude towards life is beyond admirable. There is nothing this man fears. However, what people are not aware of is that it has not always been this way. Shahryar has had more than just his fair share of tragedies in life. Once I began to take genuine interest in his life, his past, his childhood, all was unveiled. Taking into consideration everything this man underwent, he inspires me even more. I welcome you to Shahryar Saad’s past…Naeem Sheikh had been the most conniving man in the neighborhood. Despite that, he had the audacity to accuse Shahryar of sleeping with his daughter, Shumaila. This particular female was known for her promiscuity. The women referred to her as “damaged goods” and the boys referred to her as “the best and easiest” they have ever gotten it. However, she managed to trap a boy into getting himself to commit to her. Not surprisingly, it was too good to be true. Her father walked in on her having intercourse with a man who was not her fiancé. That boy grabbed his belongings while Mr. Sheikh searched for his gun. He was drunk at the time and he collapsed whilst searching, and the boy escaped. Next day, for some perverse reason, he blamed Shahryar for having been with his daughter the previous night. Without a second thought, 17 year old Shahryar Saad was made to leave his house by his father. Nana jan (his maternal grandfather), did not hesitate before taking him in. He despised his son in law for having done this to his only grandson. Shahryar soon came to see that every dark cloud has a silver lining. These series of events turned out to work in Shahryar’s favour. He mixed in nana jan’s social circle and their grandchildren. He thought he was living the life. The socializing, the girls, the popularity, everything he thought he wanted from life. Little did he know what these so called friends of his had in store for him.It was the first day of Eid and Nana Jan kept a dinner at his house for friends and family. Shahryar was looking forward to meeting his mother and sister, Ramsha, after months. He had gone back to his house to meet them, but his father had forbidden him to do so as he was under the impression that Shahryar had brought “shame and disgrace” to the family name. He managed to sneak in once or twice, but he did not want to risk it as he knew that his mother would have to deal with the brunt of her husband’s anger.

Kareem and Hamza, (new friends of Shahryar’s), planned on losing their virginities that night. They let Shahryar in on their plan, but he was least interested. All he could think of was Ammi Jan. When he saw her, they ran towards each other, embraced and broke out in tears. Ramsha was nowhere to be found. He received a call from Kareem, which he obviously ignored as he was with Ammi Jan. The calls would not stop so he decided to see to the matter. Kareem claimed it was an emergency and that he should come to the loft immediately. As he entered the dimly lit room, he saw a partially nude girl tied to the bed, with a pillow covering her face. She lay almost paralyzed. Terrified, Shahryar narrowed his eyes and walked out. Kareem pompously exited the room and boasted about his “adventurous expedition”. He had a triumphant look on his face which repulsed Shahryar to the utmost degree. His friend’s “adventure” had not impressed him, especially after he revealed that the girl was not willing, so he forced her. Shahryar was downright disgusted. As they spoke outside the room of the consequences of what Shahryar knew was rape, the bedroom door opened and the girl who had been “physically abused”, as Shahryar called it, walked out with tear filled eyes and bruises all over her neck and arms. Rage and fury did not even begin to describe what Shahryar felt at that moment. It was Ramsha.Needless to say, Shahryar got both of them put behind bars, but they were out within 2 days. Having influential affluent families was all they needed to get bailed out. Shahryar wanted to start a new life, away from these atrocious people he had encountered. He was 21 and independent. His years of hard work had finally paid off the day he got and acceptance letter from The University of Harvard. Nana Jan had always known Shahryar to be a brilliant child, and he was more than happy to fund his grandson’s education. Shahryar wanted Ramsha with him. After everything she had undergone recently, he could not rest until he was assured of the fact that she was safe. Nana Jan bought them an apartment on campus, made a few calls, pulled a few strings, and got Ramsha a highly paid internship at a pharmaceutical company. He wanted her to work the rest of her way up.It was not long before Shahryar caught Ramsha stealing money from his wallet. She had been doing so for several months now, and it was for drugs. To say that Shahryar was disappointed, was an understatement. He was devastated. After everything he had done for her, she got an opportunity to do something in return and this is what she does. They did not speak for over a week, until his birthday when she decided to shock him further by announcing she was leaving the country with her boyfriend. This reminded him of what Kareem and Hamza did years ago. They say blood is thicker than water, but it is also harder to clean up when it spills. Shahryar decided to simply move on with life as there was nothing that he would allow to become an obstacle between him and his goals. He had put in his sweat and blood to make it into Harvard. He was disheartened, mortified, yes. But he had accepted the fact that life isn’t his playground anymore. You cannot control what happens to you. What you can control however, is how you react to what life hurls at you.

The little that was left of his family had now abandoned him, Nana Jan was all he had. One more satisfaction that he felt was that he had God by his side. That alone was enough to keep him going. Although, there was one more person in his life who he felt deeply for. Minhal, a girl he had been in a relationship with for 6 months now. He was going back to Pakistan in 2 weeks and he was taking her along to make her meet his parents. Over the past few years, Shahryar’s father seemed to realize his mistake, and they reconciled their relationship. Oddly, their relationship went up in flames very soon, when Shahryar took Minhal to his parent’s house. He caught her kissing his father more than passionately in the guest room whilst Shahryar was helping Ammi Jan with dinner. He watched their tongues intertwined, her hands around him and his hands aggressively squeezing her breasts as they wildly kissed, his whole world seemed to fall apart at that moment. It was like the universe was intent on ruining every chance he got at happiness. Whether his father did this out of complete frustration, or spite, he did not know. He did not care. The real question on his mind was: Why would his father do this to Ammi? Was their 21 year marriage not enough to stop him from doing this? Moreover, why did Minhal do this? She claimed to save herself for him after they got married. She promised him her virginity, and this was how she stabs him in the back. In his heart. That day Shahryar decided that he would never love again. First his father, then Ramsha, then Minhal. It was just too much for one man to handle. He wondered sometimes how he maintained his sanity.He graduated and shifted to New York. He was working in a law firm there and lived a respectable life. His friends were highly concerned for his future. It was like he had formed this barrier around him and he would not allow anyone to penetrate through. The level of emotional stress his family and loved ones had given him had made him hard hearted and completely insensitive. He was no longer open to the idea of being in a relationship. It had proved to be too painful. Against all odds, there was one person who managed to stun him. Shahryar met Alizeh through a friend of his, and the second she set eyes on him, she knew that this was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Shahryar’s optimistic outlook on life was renewed. Alizeh not only revived his life, she made him feel loved, cared for, and above all, she made him feel safe. For a split second, a thought occurred to him that maybe she was just another Minhal in his life. That exact moment, he heard Alizeh laugh. It was like the laughter of a little girl, an innocent joyous laughter, one filled with light and love at the same time. The thought diminished that second and never returned. The magnitude of their love for each other was inspiring. I had never heard of any relationship being so full of mutual understanding and genuine love for the other person. All these reasons made it even harder for Shahryar to accept the fact that Alizeh had leukemia. She was diagnosed of it 7 months after she met him. Their time together was short lived, but he was by her side through every second of it. The chemotherapy, the doctor appointments, the blood tests, the mood swings, all of it. He insisted on marrying her.

She did not want to leave him widowed. They both knew that she had very little time left, but he was adamant. Due to obvious reasons, I was not given intricate details of their time spent together. However, I was told that their marriage lasted about two and a half months. Alizeh passed away in her sleep on the 23rd of April 1992. For Alizeh’s sake, Shahryar did not do anything she would not have approved of. However they had discussed it earlier, and she wanted him to re-marry. Shahryar married again 4 years later, a girl that his mother chose for him, Anaya. Shahryar still seemed to consider himself Alizeh’s widower. Alizeh’s death was excruciatingly painful. However he did not regret meeting her, falling in love with her, marrying her. Some would say life had not been kind to him, but he begged to differ. Shahryar expressed that he was the luckiest man alive to have even gotten the opportunity to meet someone like Alizeh and to find love and solace in their relationship. Above that, he was grateful to have been blessed with love twice in one lifetime. With time, he grew fond of Anaya and love overcame him.They have been married for over 22 years now. Shahryar Saad is one man who I will always look up to. It’s not easy holding yourself together when life gives you so much pain. The last thing Shahryar Saad said to me was “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. Remember that.” I have abided by this ever since, and I am proud to call Shahryar Saad my father.

King Khan is what they call him. One of the biggest figures not only in the Indian film industry but also in the entire world had been named one of the 50 most powerful people in the world by Newsweek back in 2008. He has acted in many films and was described to be an actor with the least flops an actor has ever had in his career. Films like ‘’Dilwale dhulaniya le jaye gay’’, Veer Zaara Kabhi khushi kabhi gham ( the list goes on) have been top grossing Indian productions in the overseas markets, thus making him one of the most successful actors in India. He once proudly said, ‘’ "The dream I chased, took me on a journey. A journey more rewarding then the goals, the achievements. When I look back it's like facing a million mirrors. Each reflection opens a window. A window to the world I've just discovered...... The world I want to share with all of you"

Khan began his career appearing in theatre and several television serials in the late 1980s. He made his film debut in Deewana. Since then, he has been part of numerous commercially successful films and has earned critical acclaim for many of his performances. Khan has won fourteen Filmfare Awards for his work in Indian films, eight of which are in the best actor category (a record). In 2005, the Government of India honored him with the padma shiri for his contributions towards Indian Cinema.

However a big star like him also started with an ordinary life. He was born in a middle class family in New Delhi. He went to the St Columba’s School where not only did he focus on academics but was also a keen participator in sports and drama. During his teens he won The Sword of Honor ,an annual award given to the student who best represents the spirit of the school. He has a bachelors degree in Economics and has done his Masters in mass communications. Despite having such a decent academic background he yet began persuing his career in Bollywood.

People have really been interested in the religion he follows. The truth is that he is Muslim while his wife is Hindu. Strongly believing in Islam he claimed that he fully respects his wife’s religion and his children follow both religions. At home they have the Holy Quran situated right next to the Hindu deities. About religion he once said, ‘’Humanity is the biggest religion’’. A book had been written by Anu-Puma Chopra called Shahrukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema which tells us about the world of bollywood through Khan’s life. Khan’s net worth is estimated to be 507million US$ in this book. It also clearly states that if Khan’s children do not earn when they are old they along with the 3 coming generations can live a luxuries life without earning at all. Sharukh Khan had also been chosen lo lead the game show ‘’Kaun banega crore pati’’ which at first was being hosted by Amitabh Bachan. Shahrukh Khan has also hosted an extremely famous game show called ‘’Are you smarter than a 5th grader’’. It proved to be a major hit not only in India but in other parts of the world as well.

How after achieving so much of success in his life he is giving less priorities to movies and is paying more attention on community service. Apart from his donations to cancer patients and hospitals which he in his last interview mentioned that he had lost count of those years ago recently he has made a hospital called the Nanavati Hospital in memory of his late mother. People might say that all of this is done in order to achieve more glamourous and famous life the but no. The biggest reason is that he has ‘a heart’. A big one. He has a lot of feelings for all those children out there who have been unlucky since birth and have not been able to live their childhood like normal beings.

Some people are die hard fans of him. They actually call him ‘’God’’ to which his wife Gauri once said, ‘’Don’t call him god, he’s just Shahrukh Khan. He has countless fans all across the globe to whom he once said, ‘’ "I'd die if people didn't recognise me. I would not be able to walk on the road if people didn't mob me. That's what I work for."

“My dream was to get into Cambridge”, these were the words Ali Moeen Nawazish had to say. Not only said but did everything to fulfill his dream. Ali – An 18-year old whiz kid, wanted to get into Cambridge, and so he sat in 23 A-levels exams in just one year – and secured 21 A-grades, one B grade and a C! Impossible, isn’t it? But he did the trick. Studying 12 hours a day, using energy drinks to help him concentrate, striving to make the impossible possible, “Then one day it all clicked. I needed to prove to myself, and to others, that I could do it.” He said.A-Levels have never been easy for anyone. You had to study hard to clear just 3 Papers and get good grades to get into one of the top leading institutions you ever dream of. A Pakistani student belonging to Rawalpindi couldn’t be happier. He had only one goal, GET INTO CAMBRIDGE somehow. In the start he decided to just appear in seven A-Level Papers. But as time passed, he kept on giving more. A total number of 23 papers were given. For some of the papers he just studied 3 days before giving the exam! He must have some great brains to get all the stuff in and get good grades. As he gave the papers, he was determined to get some really good grades. Ali says, “I had thirst to gain knowledge”. He surprised everyone with the grades as the results came by. Securing 21 A Grades, 1 B Grade and 1 C, wasn’t an easy thing, in fact easy is a really small word, but Ali did it. So, the time had come to apply for the University Admissions. The application form had barely enough place to fit his qualifications. He got admissions at Cambridge University, Harvard University, Yale and was accepted by most Ivy League institutions. There was no reason of any University denying his Admission at the first place. He also achieved a top score in the U.S Admissions Test.As his dream was to get into Cambridge somehow, he applied to the Department Of Computer Sciences and of course got it. He did his degree in Computer Sciences at the Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He was awarded the Pride of Performance award, which is one of the highest honors in Pakistan. To top it all off, Ali Moeen Nawazish would be getting another surprise, as he is being given a place in Guinness Book of Records!Ali has done his Cambridge education from Rawalpindi, Pakistan from Roots College International. He gave all the 23 papers in just 12 months’ time. Apart from core science subjects he is almost entirely self-taught, without taking any tuitions or classes. The A-level subjects he took were Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Math, Computer Studies, Marine Sciences, Applied ICT, Thinking Skills, Urdu Literature, General Paper, Geography, Applied Geography, General Further Mathematics, Human Biology, Further Mathematics, Sociology, Psychology, General Studies, English language, Travel and Tourism, Urdu Language, Business Studies, and Critical Thinking. He received awards for the highest marks in the country in Computing and ICT.

Ali scored Nine A’s in his O-Levels. He became devoted to his studies when he decided that he wants to prove it to himself and others that he can do it. He made studies his hobby apart from playing guitar, cricket and table tennis. Both his parents work as doctors. Asked from Ali’s teachers about him, they replied that he is a genius and he has a mind of a photo copier. What he reads is scanned to his brain and stays there. His tutor at the Trinity Hall says that “Mr. Ali Moeen Nawazish is a really bright student. He is really charming and we are delighted to have him over.” He also told that it was really hard to believe for the first time he saw the results. He is surely a GENIUS!Nawazish is the founder of Step Up Pakistan, an organization to promote education in Pakistan and provide a platform for the youth of this country through accessible education. The name is their aim, to step UP Pakistan and take it to the next level.“We don’t need a revolution; we need revolutionary development. This development has to be in the education and economic sector, and both are of course linked. By developing our human resource, expanding our economic horizons and realizing our responsibilities as citizens we can rid ourselves of most of the problems we face and address the grievances we have.” – Nawazish.

Marilyn Monroe. What comes to your mind when you hear her name?A sultry,sex-symbol with images of her dress blowing away at a point of a fan?A living legend long gone?A vivacious super-star who sucessfully managed to capture the hearts of millions of admirers?Well,she was alot more than just that,that's for sure!.Here is a little something about the life and times of the star,that was Marilyn ...Monroe.Born as Norma Jean Baker on June 1,1926 in Los Angeles,California,she overcame a difficult childhood to become one of the world's most sucessful actresses.Oblivious to her father and with her mother trapped in a mental hospital,she spent most of her life in foster care,although she also spent a few years with a family friend.When they could no longer afford to take care of her,the only way out for her was marriage.On the 19th of June,1942,she tied the knot with her boyfriend,Jimmy Dougherty.He moved to the South Pacific,and Monroe started working in Burbank,where she was discovered by a photographer.By the time Dougherty returned in 1946,she had become a sucessfull model.She signed her first contract for a movie in the same year,also the same year when the couple split.

In 1950,she impressed audiences by starring in ''Asphalt Jungle'' and ''All About Eve".She was paired with another bombshell,Jane Russel in the film''Gentlemen Prefer Blondes''.The film was a huge sucess and Marilyn continued to find sucess... in her work.With her breathy voice and hourgalss figure,Monroe became a much admired international star.Yearning for a change from her usual roles,she went to New York to study acting and returned to the screen in the dramatic comedy,The Bus Stop in 1956.In 1959,she starred in a humourous film,''Some Like It Hot.'' Her work on the film earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a comedy film.Her last completed film,''The Misfits'' was in 1961,in which she starred opposite Clark Gable and Montegomery Cliff. Her professional and personal life seemed to be in turmoil.Her last two films happened ...to be box-office dissapointments,along with her unsucessfull relationships and marriages.At the age of 36,she was found dead in her Los Angeles home,with a bottle of sleeping pills in her hand,in 1962.

Michael Joseph Jackson, often referred to as the “King of Pop” singer, songwriter, dancer and celebrity icon with a huge catalog of hit records and countless awards to his credit. He was born on the 29th of August, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, to an African-American working-class family. Joseph Jackson, his father, had been a guitarist, but put his dreams aside to provide for his family. He believed that his sons had musical potential and so in the 1960s, arranged them into a musical group known as ‘The Jackson 5’. The band comprised of him and his four brothers, who were all older than him. Behind the scenes, Joseph Jackson pushed his sons to succeed. He was also reportedly known to become violent with them. In 1970, the band released a string of hits, including ‘I Want You Back’, ‘ABC’, ‘I’ll Be There’ and ‘The Love You Save’ and cemented their position at the forefront of the modern soul music. It also made them the first group ever to have their first four singles top the charts. But the star of the band was undoubtedly Michael, at eleven years of age. However, these singles were just a prelude to the heights that Michael Jackson would scale as a solo artist in the Eighties.At the age of 13, Jackson launched a solo career in addition to his work with the Jackson 5. He made the charts in 1971 with 'Got to Be There' from the album of the same name. His 1972 album, 'Ben', featured the eponymous ballad about a rat. The song became Jackson's first solo No. 1 single. For several years, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 maintained a busy tour and recording schedule. The group became so popular that they even had their own self-titled cartoon show, which ran from 1971 to 1973.In 1978, he appeared in the film version of The Wiz, where he met musical director Quincy Jones. The veteran, Jones, whose credits in the jazz and pop worlds extended back to the Fifties, would become the producer of Jackson’s best-known albums. The first of these, Off the Wall (1979) introduced Michael Jackson to the world as a vibrant, poised young man bursting with talent and ideas. However, it was 'Thriller' that broke all records, achieving nothing short of revolutionizing the entire music business.‘Thriller’ generated seven top-10 hits: “The Girl Is Mine” (#2) “Billie Jean” (#1), “Beat It” (#1), “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” (#5), “Human Nature” (#7), “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” (#10) and “Thriller” (#4). It stayed on the charts for 80 weeks, holding the No. 1 spot for 37 weeks. The album further went on to sell 50 million copies worldwide. In addition to its unparalleled commercial achievements, Thriller earned 12 Grammy Award nominations and won eight of those awards. After a series of hits from the Jackson 5, Michael sang “Billie Jean” by himself, debuting his gravity-defying “Moonwalk” dance move. By this point, it was clear that he had outgrown the Jackson 5, and only 1984’s Victory album and tour remained as a final collaboration with his brothers. Not surprisingly, in December 1984 at the last concert of the tour, Michael announced he was splitting from the group and going solo.Three years later, in 1987, Jackson released his much awaited solo album titled 'Bad' and kicked off his record breaking solo world tour. At the end of the 1980s, the singer was named 'Artist of the Decade' due to the success of his 'Thriller' and 'Bad' albums.

In 1986, Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus;both illnesses made him sensitive to sunlight. The treatments he used for his condition further lightened his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he could appear very pale which is what made his skin appear as if it was bleached. This change in the colour of his skin gained widespread media coverage. However, Jackson was also diagnosed with vitiligo in his autopsy.In 1991, the King Of Pop released his fourth solo album 'Dangerous' after signing with Sony Music. He toured beyond borders once again the following year and, by that time, Michael Jackson had become an icon, even in countries that had never been visited by a pop artist. He founded the 'Heal the World Foundation' to help improve the lives of children around the world since he, himself, had been deprived of a childhood about which he opened up in his autobiography titled 'Moonwalk' and to Oprah Winfrey when she interviewed him on live television in 1993.Miachel got married for the first time in 1994 to Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of rock legend Elvis Presley. Unfortunately, the marriage wasn't successful and ended in just 19 months with Lisa filing for divorce in 1996. During this time, the singer was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler and his father, Dr. Evan Chandler, a dentist. The case was, however, settled outside court.In 1995, Jackson released his fifth solo album 'HIStory' which included new tracks as well as his greatest hits. Following this, he kicked off another tour leg covering a 2 year period. In between which, in 1996, he married for his second time to Debbie Rowe, a nurse he met in the treatment of his pigment disorder. She gave birth to Miachel's first two children, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson jr (born on February 13 1997) and daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson (born on April 3rd 1998). The couple, however, divorced in 1999, and Jackson got full custody of the children.In 1997 Michael released the remix album 'Blood On The Dance Floor' and the album was promoted through an 82 concert tour.Four years later, in September 2001, Michael celebrated his 30th anniversary as a solo artist. The following month he released the album 'Invincible' releasing only 2 singles including the big hit "You Rock My World". Shortly after the album's release, there were rumours of a rift with Sony Music and a clear lack of promotion of the album was seen.In March 2009, Miachel announced a comeback at the O2 Arena in London which was to start in June 2009. Initially, the tour was for 10 dates but grew to a sold out of 50 dates with over 750,000 tickets being sold within minutes prior to their release. At the time of the announcement, although the 50 year old pop icon faced illhealth and his doctors urged him to cut the tour short, he decided to go on with it.Unfortunately, on June 25, 2009, to the disappointment of millions all over the globe, Jackson died while in his bed at his rented mansion in the Holmby Hills district of Los Angeles. Attempts at resuscitating him by his personal physician, Conrad Murray, were unsuccessful. The singer's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty.Throughout his life, there had been much speculation with various allegations placed against him, but Jackson's fans remained loyal to him, supporting him throughout. Michael will always be remembered because of his contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life. Miachel Jackson, being a global figure in popular culture for over four decades, was undeniably 'The King Of Pop'.

Zaynab: expression wise i dont see many problems but what confuses me is how you wrote about his marriage and divorce and then you went back to write about his university life so it felt a bit muddled. Biographies have a chronological theme to the events exposed and even if you wish to refer to other parts of life, it should be done only if its necessary to punctuate a point. you'll then find your description of events much more precise and clear, and so will the reader.

PURPLE FEATHER: i liked that you chose someone close to your heart but i needed to see that in your writing! not just in ur mentioning that he is your grand father! you chose your grandfather but ironically did not write much about his personal life or personality, but instead about his career accomplishments which would have been fine, if you had focused a bit on what i mentioned.

Fazia: you wrote with post present and past tense which is distracting. biographies are written, relaying events which have already happened, hence the past tense! so do keep that in mind. Also, i felt you like were a bit in a rush to relay all events from his life and could not establish very well and with much emotion so keep that in mind for next time!

SHAMEEN: the poem is a very famous poem 'if' by rudyard kipling, when did it become 'if read by roger federer'? the biography is fine, just try and write with better language! vocab and language is very important, it takes a great essay to the level of an amazing one.

V FOR VENGEANCE: The general idea was good but organization was a bit poor. you first spoke a lot about his birth parents and then suddenly it was all about Apple and his work there. there was so much in between. as a biographer it is important to pay attention to facts and details! and how could u say he was born in 1994!!!! that would make him 17 :o

MAHNOOR: if i hadnt known that these were supposed to be biographies, then i would have been a hundred percent sure that what you wrote was a narrative. and that shouldnt be the case! there are places, where your writing style is not appropriate such as when you write about what he's thinking at a certain time and a biographer would not know such details! you may present the possibility of him having felt such things but to definitely state it doesnt seem right.

SHAYAN: Im a bit confused. it started with his hit movies. then you spoke about how he began his career. then u mentioned his wife and religion and then it was about his philanthropy? shayan, organization is key! it should have been, how he started his career, his hit movies that gave him star status and then finally his present philanthropy,etc

WAJIHA: I'm confused as to why you chose to discuss A levels in such detail and then went back to speak about O levels. Organization is key! you should have spoken about his O levels and then about how he decided he wanted to go to cambridge and then continued to give so many papers!also, casual and informal doesnt necessarily mean one cant still use better vocab and language! otherwise, it was fine.

IQRA: The starting of your essay gave the impression of an informal and subjective biography! i expected you to then relay events from her life with your opinion showing in places. surprisingly, your essay then took a formal and didactic tone and you then only spoke of her career till when she committed suicide. maintaining a uniformity in an essay is important! also, in your intro, you claimed she was much more than the common perception of her.. but did you discuss how?

UNKNOWN: while the biography was fine, towards the end you abruptly went from 2001 to suddenly, how he died in 2009 and it broke the momentum of your biography. Also, maintain a more formal style and try using better vocab